Lauriep

So I've had my first pre-op appointment for a VSG on 11/03 and left there terrified. I learned that the average or expected weight loss is 60% of your excess weight. For me that is only 90 lbs. 90lbs. 90 lbs!! I've read these these threads and you guys are a fantastic group! I see so many of you with losses well beyond the 3 digit mark (for me I would be ecstatic with a 150 lb loss) and really enjoyed your positivity and willingness to help or just cheer on! I am hoping there is anyone (hopefully a lot of you) who have surpassed the average? I am actually reconsidering the surgery altogether today. This is going to be a major life change. All along I've thought, 'no big whoop'! I'll have to change my lifestyle and eating habits to be healthier! New diet=new me! But today I learned about all of the other things. Like no more ibuprofen, forever, sort of things. (Which is something I take on a regular basis for another non weight related issue ) so many things that you cannot do for years if not forever. And am starting to wonder if a lifetime of thinking about or documenting every morsel of food that enters my mouth, or constant concerns about whether or not I can take this drug or drink that drink, making sure I don't forget all of these daily Vitamins, I am talking (if I am lucky) another 30 years on this earth, for 90 lbs? Yes I know this is a lot of weight, but I've lost 30 already while going through managed nutrition in the last 6 months. Should I still go through this irreversible surgery? Am hoping there are others who have lost more than the average and are willing to share how? I'd like to know that there are some who actually have reached a full weight loss goal and not just 60%of their excess. ~~so confused???? help?

Eastern Shore

Well it finally broke! I believe it was a combo of all of the things listed here! i had a REAAAAALLL issue with lack of Water over the weekend. I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone, I mean ANYONE. It never occurred to me that water affects your digestion and not only what comes into your body but what goes out.... and how. I don't think I need to say anymore than that, you get my drift! 2 weeks ago I upped my water (last week was traveling and didn't get much at all which is what caused the above), changed the Snacks I was eating (often times it was leftover from one of the 3 meals per day vs. a healthy snack) and it started falling off again, literally at the same pace it was post op. Funny how it works! Bjut WHEW I am glad. I guess it was just a natural stall! Thanks so much for all of your advice! re: inches: I measured the day before surgery and plan to measure again right at the 3 month mark. I didn't want to spoil the results, am using a digital tape measure and it records the before and after, but then on the 3rd try to overwrite the 1st one.

make sure that you are logged in. You can still view and post without being logged in. Once you are (check in the upper right hand corner to see if it says your name and 'log out' or if it says, 'log in') then click on the persons name and in their profile on the right you will see ADD ME AS FRIEND. Good luck!

This is all fantastic info to hear!! When I asked my NUT if I should be counting anything other than Protein and Water, she said no. My surgical plan and team was and is so awesome I didn't question her. I assume at one of the post op support meetings she'll go into further detail as I progress. @@Rogofulm So as far as counting carbs, no I haven't which means no ketosis (so funny how many of us must have tried Atkins at one point that we all know what that is!!). I have had a little bread over the holidays and a little Pasta and a little rice (once I was cleared for sushi I ran to the restaurant!) But not really excessive I don't think. But certainly enough to pull me out of ketosis if I ever went into it! BUT a girl has to have her chocolate now and again. I did on occasion indulge in that, small levels but none the less. If I did it I watched any sugar and fat intake for the rest of that day, and thought I was handling that well, but maybe not. I think you may have hit the nail on the head with water... No I haven't been getting the right amount of liquids and yes on this high proten diet, I am really worried about damage to my kidneys. I am really struggling with this one. I used to just chug a bottle in the morning drink all day, chug more at night drink into the evening but with a 4oz stomach that is no longer possible. I just recently found an app online that is supposed to remind you to drink! I haven't tried it yet Makes me wonder if I can increase it if I'll notice any immediately? i too @ready2B have been snacking on Peanut Butter and crackers, chose LF (low literally everything) crackers that taste horrible with a little PB and thought that was ok. Maybe not. @@Susanjoyce392 and @@AngryViking Even though I've not lost a pound in 7 weeks, people I see regularly are commenting on how different I look, so maybe inches are still coming off? Good to hear others are in a stall. I was worried that this isn't what it is. That it's just a total weight loss and not a stall at all!

so I am looking for some info on stalls? I had what I understand is the normal: 3 week stall after 3 weeks post op which was the week of Thanksgiving. (surgery date 11/3/14). Then I loss 4 lbs in like 2 days. BUT.... there I sit. it's been 6 weeks. I weigh every day I know I shouldn't and will probably stop that at my 3 month follow up. But glad that I am for now. I will lose 2 lbs, then gain 3, lose 1 for 3 days straight and gain it back. And for days the scale just doesn't move. I was a little worried before I had the surgery that I would fall into this group of people who lost like 50 lbs and never another one and am now worried that's me. I know it's soon but 4 weeks and no progress is wearing me thin, and I wish that was literally! After about 3 weeks into this stall, I started to look at what I was eating and the lack of exercise I was enjoying (I did really well the first few weeks and then life got in the way so fell behind in my visits to the gym). Started walking morning and night, started really paying attention to Protein count and removing some bad habits I realized I'd picked up. For a full week I've watched. Still nothing. So has anyone else experienced this length of a stall? I know I am doing something wrong, I'll not blame anything but my own activities, but I am just not sure what it is. My surgeon said at my 3 week follow up that I will probably lose 20 lbs before my next one, and I was surprised by that low # (doesn't eveyone love how much falls off right after surgery?!) but wow, now? I'll be looking at the 4 lbs I lost right after that and that's it. Help?

Well, I actually did pull the trigger, I think I was just scared. I was sleeved on 11/3 and really for the most part it was an easy process. I know a lot of people have a lot of problems, but for me it was decent. I took the advice of many here, realizing that it really was all up to me. If I sit around and don't change any of my old bad habits my success rate will be nominal. There were so many people that lost close to if not all of their goal losses, made me realize if was definitely possible. Thanks so much! Keep up the incentive help! I am sure I am not the only one who had these fears!

B12 also come in a liquid form, I bought mine at CVS.

I'm in the same boat, I have regular meds outside of those associated with surgery, crushing is awful , and nothing seems to be diluting the micro us taste. I've tried applesauce by maybe I am adding too many? It's overwhelming the applesauce. Almond butter? Do you use that as a spread or something?

I am 13 days post op, and while there is a little pain, the worst part is hunger and cravings at this point! Not every one has a bad experience. I strongly urge you preparing for surgery to take advantage of the good meds post op while in the hospital, get up and move! If helps with the gas pains like nobody's business, they pump air I go your abdomen and it takes awhile for it to dissipate . The faster you get up and move around while you still have the anesthesia in your system and the good IV drugs the better your dr recovery will be. I am living proof! My recovery was really easy. I mean as compared to not having surgery and a normal day, it was different, a few things were harder though, like bathroom visits, omg am I glad that is over! Early movement seems to have been the key for me!

Had Dilaudid in hospital and sent home with oxycodone. I went home about 36 hours after surgery on a Tuesday night, and took it with Tylenol until Friday. Didn't need anything after that. To be honest, the pain was about 25% of what I'd expected. It was t bad at all. Still gave a little uncomfortableness at incision sites but no real pain to speak of.

Yea, looks like every surgeon is different. I am 9 days post op. No drains and no compression socks, had the inflatables as well. Catheter was out before I was really fully awake.

Let me tell you... This is no joke. I heard about all of the people taking Benefiber and Mirolax and wish I started them sooner. I had the worst experience yesterday. What happens us that first of all you've just had major surgery. 2nd your diet has changed and now for some reason your hormones, add to that a narcotic pain killer that causes constipation and it's a recipe for disaster! Make sure your foods are LIQUIFIED and that you get water in above all else, you'll figure out the balance as you go on. My surgery was Monday and by Thursday I could tell that I needed to go. Started the Mirolax too late. If you haven't yet, confirm with your doc (always) and get that in now as well as a stool softener ASAP. My doc and my health insurance nursing coordinator suggested as well as others on this forum: Colace, in it's liquid form it's called Docusate. This was a Godsend. I am not going to go into graphic details, but you can imagine the difficulty I had after having daily more protein than water, food semi solid, no fiber and no laxative. It was more pain honestly than anything I'd experienced to date, and I had stopped the pain meds because of the constipation. I NEVER want to do that again! GOOD LUCK!

That was awesome btw, I finally got it, unfortunately a little too late so required a mild enema. But was better than becoming impacted. The combo of the 2 made life a LOT easier today, thanks!

Taking Miralax now for 2 days, things are moving but at the risk of being too graphic it's like boulders made of chards of glass and hot sauce! Thought today I need to add something to make 'passage' easier! Found Colace but only in gel cap form. Tried mixing that up into liquid form and just can't get it down. Was hoping something existed that I could just mix in with water.

@@Sleeving it Yyyeeeessss. Me too, same surgery same day. Doc says it is common and that I should drink more, also up the liquid Tylenol to extra strength, seems to have helped.

Do you guys know of there are liquid forms of Colace? Having trouble finding anything for the 2 weeks post op. Dr recommended Colace but can only find gel caps.

Yea, this is definitely a a spasm, it's like a Charlie horse right under the right breast. It sort of seizes and stays that way for a few seconds. It's rough. Heating pad seems to help.

Anyone struggling with muscle spasms right at the large incision? Whoa... That is one thing I've not heard anyone talking about.

@@Jazzyring1 I hear it gets easier

Someone was very forthright for me early on in my process when I asked a similar question. I'm going to do the same for you. No. You won't be successful at all if you don't make the necessary changes now. There is a reason that the system is designed as it is. I am 3 days post op, and had I not worked the nutrition plan for 6 months prior, and had I not worked in the exercise, I would be miserable right now. I still didn't get all of the exercise plan in place and am really feeling it, but is better than had I started this week cold turkey. I cannot use my stomach muscles at all and am depending solely on my arms and legs to move , even to just walk. Which is necessary to get all of the gas out if my system they pumped in it during the surgery (the longer it's there the more pain I'm in). Thank God I worked them before hand. Could you imagine lifting all of this weight out of a chair or in the bathroom without preparing for it? Nope. Also? food. I miss it, but I would be even more miserable if I hadn't started eating properly before hand. One thing I've learned in this process is there is a reason I got here, and it was because I just couldn't get up, exercise and eat well, or should I say: didn't. Of course there's much more to anyone's story than just that, but I am dead serious when I say you MUST, start following your NUT advice now. It's an education, all of it. Limiting pop to 3x per week? After surgery you can't have it at all. Easier to work on quitting it now? Or all at once? If you don't learn the right way to eat and exercise and learn how to think with a 'thin brain', you will go through this whole process for nothing because you haven't learned how not to return to where you are right now. And let me tell you... This surgery is no joke. There will be no success for you unless you learn how to make it that way. I've heard that the surgery is just a tool and it is. It's just part of the entire process. The first step for you is to resolve yourself to make it work. You will be going through a lot right before and right after, if you don't follow the instructions, it's going to be a very, very hard road for you. Wish you the best of luck!

I'm day 3 post op, lots of pain but getting better every day, glad to be on the other side of it. Really struggling to get protein AND water in.

I get what you mean about 'diet'. I am never one for denying myself something, that just makes it harder. I'd rather look at this whole process as, ' I am finally choosing to be thin' and this is just what it takes. I heard someone in this forum use the term "fat brain". And they were absolutely right. There is 'fat brain' and 'normal brain'. People who have 'normal brain' don't have to pay as much attention to every single thing that they eat! People with fat brain should have been. Yes there were many food funerals! But for me it was really saying 'goodbye'. If I didn't love all of the wrong things, I wouldn't be here. There were many things, I just realized that I should never eat again and some if I did, should be in very, very small quantities. I didn't overindulge, just enjoyed it and then said goodbye. Since then in prep for surgery (which is in 4 days) it's been all liquid, which at first was really hard, but got much easier as time went by, and am preparing now for the 'menu' post surgery. The funny thing is that I've just gotten used to it. At first all I could think about was <insert something here, I don't want to mention mine, as it would be cruel to anyone reading this and struggling with certain foods> for some reason, but now, eh. As long as I stay full and Protein shakes and chicken stock are doing that, I'm good. (Food funerals are not for everyone I do know that, but for me am glad I did it. I don't miss those things now). I thought at first it was ridiculously stupid to quit smoking right before the liver shrinking diet but I just waited until the very last possible minute, it's been about 45 days. But THAT is all I can think about! Here I thought it was food I was addicted to! At least my mind is occupied, healthily or unheathily. Thanks for the input! Keep your successes coming!

wow! that is awesome @@lilkim305! What do you think is the secret for you? I mean what did you do that put you at the top of the average in such a short period of time?

Ok so no sooner did I say, this liver shrinking diet would be a breeze, I realize how wrong I was! I'm so hungry it's affecting my concentration. I know I have to just suck it up, it's only 12 more days, but any suggestions on how to ease the hunger?